SCANDAL OF THE ‘FRESH’ TURKEYS THAT ARE A MONTH OLD
Supermarkets accused over premium pricing
SUPERMARKETS have been accused of conning customers after it emerged some ‘fresh’ turkeys may have been slaughtered a month before Christmas. A number of fresh turkeys, which can cost up to 72 per cent more than frozen ones, are kept in ‘deep-chill warehouses’ at sub-zero temperatures.
They can also be ‘gas flushed’ – where carbon dioxide is pumped in to push out the oxygen – to help extend shelf life.
EU regulations state that ‘fresh’ poultry can be kept at temperatures as low as -2C by leading retailers, including Sainsbury’s and Marks & Spencer.
The British Retail Consortium said the process ensures that shops and supermarkets are able to meet Christmas demand.
Producers do not have to put the date that the bird was slaughtered
on the packaging. But Nigel Broadhurst, of the British Frozen Food Federation, said shoppers were being ‘misled’.
He claimed that some ‘fresh’ turkeys could have been slaughtered weeks before and preserved using the deep-chill method.
‘They [shoppers] think they are buying a fresh turkey. They are not,’ he said.
Mr Broadhurst, who is also joint managing director of rival supermarket Iceland, which specialises in frozen food, told the Sunday Times both M&S and Sainsbury’s ‘certainly do this’. He said his accusations were not a case of him trying to tarnish his rivals, but a question of transparency.
‘I think most people are buying those turkeys just before Christmas on the understanding it is a fresh bird,’ he said.
‘That’s why I think it is such a con. They are not fresh turkeys. They were killed on the 18th or 26th of flipping November.’
The British Poultry Council said the practice was within EU regulations. Public affairs manager Shraddha Kaul said: ‘Some producers start the slaughter process in November to accommodate the seasonal customer demand for turkeys and have them ready on the shelves for Christmas – which means some of the supermarket “fresh” turkeys are put in “deep chill”.’
Andrew Opie, of the British Retail Consortium, said: ‘This has been the process for years and it is the best way for retailers to ensure they can provide good quality, affordable turkeys from the best suppliers to consumers at Christmas.
‘We believe this has always been clear and fully in line with labelling regulations.’
The temperature of a bird to be frozen is brought down rapidly in iced water and it is then ‘flash frozen’ to -24C. The fresh turkey is chilled using blasts of cold air, which is a more expensive process.
Sainsbury’s fresh turkeys are only available to buy after December 20. According to a poll, 76 per cent of families will serve turkey this Christmas. Around ten million birds were eaten last December.
M&S said its fresh turkeys are never frozen and it complies with all EU poultry regulations. It said any ‘fresh’ labelling on its products is accurate. Sainsbury’s was contacted for comment.